Attachment for internal-combustion engines



1,509,577 G. BALLWEBER ATTACHMENT Fon INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 16, 191.9

.Sept 23 1924,-

A73 zi W/f Clim auf' cla Patented Sept, 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE BALLWEBER, 0F CNCINNATI, OHIO.

ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENG-INES.

Application filed October 16, 1919.` Serial No. 831,038.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, GEORGE BALLWEBER, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ghio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachmentsfor lnternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention relates' to carburetion, and has for an object to provide an auxiliary water or moist vapor intake, connected at its one extremity to the intake manifold of an engine adjacent the carburetor, and at its opposite extremity, to the vapor-space adjacent the top of the radiator, and to provide valve means for controlling' the supply of said water-vapor to the intake manifold.

Another object is an arrangement for the delivery of water-vapor to the interior of each engine cylinder, and the interposition of a manifold connection in the pipe-line between the top portion of the radiator and oi the intake valve for each cylinder.

Other objects are to provide a simple intake valve construction and a simple connection for the vapor supply pipe, at the upper' portion of the radiator.

The advantages of vmixing water-vapor with the carbureted substances are Well known, but I have provided a simple and improved apparatus for accomplishing the result, and admit of perfect control of the quantity of moist vapor deliveredto thel cylinders of an engine.

Additional objects and advantages are set forth in this specification and drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims appended hereunto. Like numerals refer to corresponding ings, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevationof one form of my invention, shown connected to a common type of engine, carburetor and radiator,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a second form of my invention, showing the same connected to the interior of the engine cylinders and to the radiator,

Figure 3 is a central vertical section of my improved intake valve, and

Figure l is a central sectional view of my improved connecting means' for the vapor supply pipe at the radiator.

Figure 5 is a central vertical section of a modified form of myintake valve. i

rlhe numeral 1 designates the radiator', 2

parts throughout the drawits filling opening and 8 its connection to engine t. The intake manifold is indicated at 5, 'the carburetor at 6. The vapor line connection is made with the upper end of the radiator by a short section of pipe 7, with an upturned portion 8 inserted into the radiator and rigidly secured at 9, to an eX- teriorly screw threaded plug 10. The plug 10 has a headed end 11 which bears against the inside face of the. rear wall 12 of the radiator.

The plug 10, with its pipe section 7, is inserted through an opening 13 in the rear wall 12 of the radiator, and the upturned end S is positioned within the filler opens ing 2, to bring the inlet end at the highest point in the radiator above the iilled water line of the radiator. A washer 14; is interposed between the head 11 and the radiator casing, as shown, and a second washer 15 is placed upon the outside of the said casing and around the screw threaded plug, and a nut 16 is screwed thereagainst.

A second pipe 17 is secured to the tapered end of the plug 410 by means of a threaded union 18, as shown. This pipe 17 is pro-A vided intermediate its length with a valve 19 having suitable control connection 20 `eX- tended to dash of the motor vehicle, actuated by means of button 21.

rlhe connection of the pipe 17 to the pipe section 7, and the novel manner of fastening the pipes to the radiator permits of the installation of a vapor pipe in commercial type of machine, without change therein, other than the provision of an opening in the vertical wall of the radiator. The hori- Zontal disposition of the pipe 7 within the radiator and its immersion in the heated water at the top of the radiator tends to maintain the temperature of the vapor delivered into the pipe through the outer upturned end of the same.

ln the form shown in Figure l, a short pipe connection 22 is provided between the valve 19 and a check-valve 23, of unique construction. The valveEZS is composed of a ho-llow cylindrical base portion 2e, provided with a conical lower outlet portion 25, the same being provided with an internally threaded nipple end 26, for the reception of a short pipe section 27, connecting with. the intake manifold, adjacent the carburetor 6, and is further provided with a threaded opening 28, in the hollow cylin-` drical portion, for the reception of the short pipe section 22, connecting with the valve 19. This opening 28 communicates with an opening 29 formed in the side wall ot a cylindrical valve plug 30, flanged at its top and provided with a central bore 31, comn'iunicating with the opening 28.

The cylindrical plug 30 is further provided at its top with an upstanding exteriorly threaded hollow cylindrical portion 32', for the reception of the upper end of the valve stem 34, and a spring 35 surmounting ther same. The upper wall ot the plug 30 is bored at 36 for the reception of the valve stem 34, the said stem being provided with a valve hea-d 37.l The valve head proper is of substantially plano-convex configuration and has at its top an upstanding f cylindrical boss 38 with outstanding center- 'ing lugs 39 formed thereon, and a` central depending pin 40 at its lower side. The boss 38 is integral with the valve stem 34. The valve head is seated at 4l, against the lower portion of the. plug 30, and is normally held against the same by the spring 35,.the said spring bearing against a suitable stop 42 heldin position by an adjusting nut 43. The upstanding cylindrical portion 32 is closed by a cap` 44 and the .plug 30 is held seated by fastening devices 45.

By adjusting the degree of tension of the spring 35, any desired amount oi watervapor may be admitted to the intake manifold at. each suction stroke ot the engine c cylinders.

Additional adjustments may be made by means of the valve i9 and its co-nnections, and by the same means, the supply of watervapor may be entirely cut oit.

In the form of my device shown in Figure 2, a valve 23 is in communication with ea'chxengine cylinder, at its top, and each valve is connected, as at 49, to the manifold 50. From the central portion ot the manifold, a short pipe connection 51 leads to the valve 19, and the said valve 19 is operatively connected to the rod 20, and button 2l, to be controlled from the dash, precisely as in the first form ot my invention.

The valve 19 has the pipe section 17, connected to the radiator, in precisely the same -manner as described for the first form ot rvalve 23 (see Fig. o), composed of a hol.-

low `cylindrical body portion 60, provided at one side with an outstanding interiorly threaded boss- 6l, for the reception of the pipel section 22, and `further provided with a` centrally bored bottom 62, having in its lower surface a conical valve scat G3, with a valve head ('34 seated therein. The valvestem (35, integral with said valve head ('rl, projects upwardly through an interior depending cylindrieally bored guide-projection GG, integral with the body titl, and the valve-stem, at its upper threaded portion, is surrounded by a cylindrical spring-receiving chamber 67, Ytorlned integral with the body 60, and the outer wall of said chamber is screw threaded for the reception ot' a closure-cap (5S. A spring (S9 surrounds the upper end of the valve-stem, seated against the bottom of the chamber (ST, its upper coil is in contact, under compression, with an adjusting-nut 70, and a second lock-nut il, and split-key 72, hold the said spring in proper adjusted position.

The bottom G2 provides a screw-threaded, depending projection 73, for the reception of a cup-shaped cap 74, screwed to said projection 73, and said cap has a centrally bored and threaded nipple-end it'or the reception ot the pipe section 27.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with an internal combustion engine, of a radiator connected therewith, adjustable autoniatioally operated intake valves in central. communication with the top of each engine cylinder, a. pipe couriertion from each intake valve internally communicating` with a distributing chamber. a pipe attached to and communicating with said chamber, and with the top interior of said radiator and a manually ol'ierated valve in said pipe for controlling vapor flow to said chamber.

In a device of the class described, in combination with an internal combustion engine, of a` radiator connected therewith, adjustable automatically operated intake valvesl in central con'imunication with the top ot each engine cylinder, a pipe connection from each intake valve internally communicating with a distributing chamber, a pipe attached to and con'imunicating with said chamber and with the top interior of said radiator, means for connecting said pipe to said radiator, said means comprising a4 headed and threaded hollow cylindrical plug projected through the top wall oi said radiator, clamping and leak preventing means ior said plug, a union screwed to said plug and fastened thereto with said vapor supply pipe, the portion ot the pipe within the radiator beingr horizontally disposed and rigidly attached. to said plug.

In witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my naine, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE BLlVEBER. iVitnesses L. A. BECK, M. S. BARRoN. 

